Protest planned as Cobblers fans demand answers

James Heneghan

Cobblers fans are growing increasingly frustrated with the club’s chairman, David Cardoza, with a protest planned for this Saturday’s home clash against Oxford United at Sixfields.

A number of supporters have launched a campaign on social media using the #WeWantAnswers hashtag in relation to a number of issues at the club.

Their concerns include the ongoing takeover saga, which has now dragged on for nearly three months, as well as the continued lack of progression on the new East Stand at Sixfields following a £12million loan from Northampton Borough Council.

In a statement released last night, Cardoza called for patience and suggested the takeover process is almost complete, however Northampton supporters are continuing with their plans for a protest.

Ahead of the Oxford match at Sixfields on Saturday, fans will hold up ‘question mark’ signs with the #WeWantAnswers slogan displayed on them, signifying the wish to see questions answered by the chairman.

Elected representative of the Northampton Town Supporters’ Trust, Andy Clarke, said in a statement: “This is not a campaign against the team, manager or any other officials at the club.

“It’s directed at the chairman’s lack of letting people know answers to reasonable questions.

“I acknowledge that some questions are legally complex and are not easily answered at this stage.

“We want to make sure that the team, manager and staff at the club don’t feel the heat as a result of the campaign.

“The only person who has knowledge of the takeover and can give reassurance at this current time is the chairman himself.

“The chairman is doing a deal with a big potential owner, so it’s not unnatural that negotiations prove to be difficult and commercially sensitive.

“You can’t give everyone chapter and verse about what is going on. But that is not the issue for us. It’s the fact that the chairman is not acknowledging that all the supporters, the team, Chris Wilder and the club staff need some reassurance.

“In my view, the chairman could settle the ship if he were to answer as many of the fans’ questions as possible.”

James Averill, the press officer for the Trust, added: “I know that some fans will be questioning the timing of our statement.

“We have to constantly gauge the views of all fans, and it can be difficult to find the tipping point where we feel fans feel the next step needs to be taken.

“We felt that this point was finally reached on Sunday after receiving a number of comments from supporters.

“Since then we have been in serious discussion about the next steps of the Trust, and felt that backing this campaign – which was being supported by an increasing number of supporters – was the right thing to do.

“We know some supporters would wish that we had acted sooner, and we know there are also supporters who wished for us to wait longer to make our next move.

“Now however we want to see a united front from all supporters in getting behind this campaign, but importantly also getting behind the players on Saturday as well.”